Improvement in trusses



the rupture alike.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

HENRY HOWE, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUSSES..

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 112,709, dated March14, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HOWE, of Gouncil Bluffs, in the county ofPottawatamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Trusses; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing,forrn ing part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved truss, and Fig. 2 is asectional view of one of the pads detached from the belt.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawing.

My invention relates to trusses for the treatment of hernia in itsvarious forms; and consists in constructing the pads with a iiatmetallic plate, of the size of the pad, which plate serves to secure thebody-belt in a diagonal groove cut in the back of the pad, said beltiittin g closely in the groove to prevent theipad turning. It isnecessary in trusses of this class that the pads shall bear evenly andfirmly upon the rupture without they possibility of displacement.

Various means have heretofore been devised to accomplish this result,such as the formation of a large circular pad, pivoted to some portionof the belt, so that should it turn upon its pivot it would not bedisplaced, but still bear upon the rupture. This construction, however,is objectionable for two important reasons, viz: iirst, the constantchanging or turning of the pad causes irritation of the ruptured parts 5secondly, the size of the pad is necessarily such as to materiallyinterfere with the free and easy movements of the body.

To overcome these difficulties is the principal object of my invention,and to accomplish it several important features embracing myimprovements are requisite, to wit: that the size of the pad or padsshall be reduced in proportion to the size of the rupture; that theshape of the pad shall conform to the shape of the rupture; and that thepad shall be heldin such a position as to bearcupon all parts of As thelatter is so situated as to incline from a vertical position, it isnecessary that the pads shall be inclined correwith a suitable buckle,O. The belt is made elastic, to yield to the various motions of thebody, and at the same time hold the pads up to their proper places.

The pads are made oblong in shape, and are` composed of wood or otherhard substance, or with a wooden base, D, as shown in Fig. 2.

The object of forming the pads oblong is to reduce their size tocorrespond to the rupture and permit them to bear properly against theinclined edge of the abdominal wall adjoining the groin Without impedingthe free movement of the legs. It is evident that a circular pad iitting so closely into the groin while the body is at rest would becomedisplaced when the body is in motion, or, if not displaced, wouldinterfere with the'movement of the legs, particularly if pressed withconsiderable force upon the rupture, such forcible pressure being` anecessity in all effective trusses.

In order to hold the oblong pads in this inclined position the backportion of each is provided with a diagonal recess, of the proper sizeand depth to receive the body-belt A, and over the latter is iirmlysecured a metal plate, F, which forms the back or outer face of the pad.The grooves prevent the pads from turning upon the belt, and the metalplates hold the belt within the grooves.

The direction of the diagonal grooves in the pads is determined by theposition of the rup ture, whether upon the right or left side of theabdomen.

When two pads are employed for a corre sponding number of ruptures theyare grooved iu opposite directions, so that they shall ineline towardeach other, as shown in Fig. l. In this case I prefer to make one padstation. ary upon the belt and the other adjustable, so that itsposition can be varied as the belt is tightened or loosened.

v Gr is an elastic strap, buckled to the back of the body-belt, and,passing forward under the thigh, extends through a staple or guide, h,to a hook, i, upon the back of one of the pads,

and a padded face, E,

as shown. 'lhis strap is for the purpose of adjusting the pads and. beltupward and clownward upon the body. In ease of very severe ruptures, twosmall thigh-straps may be employed; but usuall5T one is sufficient,arranged upon the Side having the worst rupture.

l amaware that pads of an oblong` shape are old, and that they have beensecured on the body-belt by leather and metal clasps. Snell, however, Ido not ela-im; but

VhatI do claim as my invention is The flat metallic plate F, covering`the entire outer face of the pad, in combination with the diagonalgroove in the wooden back, in which the heltA closely ts,.as herein setforth and shown, for the purpose specified.

HENRY HOWE.

Witnesses:

GEO. E. DRAPER, FRANK P. BENCH.

